Happy Birthday, Killian
by NothingImpossible
Summary: Emma throws a surprise party for Killian in Storybrooke, one year post 5x21.


**A/N:** HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GUSENITSA! This one's for you! It's mostly fluff, but since I'm incapable (apparently) of writing it without a tiny bit of angst, I'll be honest in the tags. Thank you for being such an amazing literary inspiration, so incredibly nice, wonderfully funny, and letting me play with you in the corner. Here's to many more for you!

* * *

In the end, it didn't really matter what Emma did to hide it, he didn't see it coming either way. How could he, when not even he knew what day it was?

"SURPRISE!"

She heard him gasp at her side, felt his body tense in shock, his elbow tightening against her. She couldn't help the smile that threatened to split her face in two.

"What's all this?" he managed, glancing around the crowded diner. It was decorated with streamers and balloons, various food dishes and baked goods at every counter, and the smiling faces of everyone Killian knew in town.

She smiled up at him. "Your birthday party," she said.

He stared at her, his expression a mixture she couldn't quite read.

"Is that okay?" she added hurriedly. "I know you're not sure when it is exactly, so I figured why not the date you came back from the dead? It's been a year, you know."

The storm in his eyes cleared somewhat, though not completely, as he nodded. "Aye," he said finally, a grin slowly spreading across his face. "It's as good a day as any."

He looked at the gathering of townsfolk in the room and broke into a broad smile. "Well, I can honestly say I'm surprised," he said easily. "Thank you all." A few cheers and laughs answered him, some applause, and then everyone set upon the trays of food with enthusiasm.

David and Snow White approached then, her father enveloping him in a tight hug. "Happy birthday, _mate_ ," he grinned. "Emma didn't even tell us until an hour ago, didn't trust her own parents to keep it a secret."

"With both of your track records at keeping things under wraps," Emma said with a roll of her eyes, "can you really blame me?"

Killian turned to Emma. "You planned all this yourself?"

"No," she shook her head. "Henry helped out. He's in the back, securing a place to hide your presents until later." He glanced at the back door, to the teenager who'd just stepped into the room. Henry waved, his smile wide, and Killian nodded to him in return as the boy headed toward the food.

"Thank you," he said quietly, his eyes meeting hers sincerely. "For all this, both of you. I do appreciate it."

"Of course," she grinned. "Now come and cut the cake. Granny refused to let me put one candle for each year of your life, claimed it was a fire hazard, so we just decorated it with the pretzel M&Ms you like so much."

The happiness in his smile was genuine. Together they made their way to the cake set proudly on the center table where she'd painstakingly spelled out his name atop the chocolate frosting in the colourful candies (and eaten her fair share on the side - cake decorating was harder than she thought). He chuckled when Granny handed him the knife, offering to cut the cake with his hook instead. Emma just watched, took in the easy way he joked with those around him, marvelled at the friendships he'd made over the years, how well he fit in despite his history that still worried him when they were alone. Killian grinned wickedly at her as he licked some frosting off his finger, slowly and suggestively, and she couldn't help the heat that rushed to her cheeks when she laughed.

Cake distributed, food and company enjoyed by all, she sat beside him at the counter to eat. Various members of the town came over to clap him on the back and wish him well. He seemed uncomfortable with all the attention at first but gradually relaxed, smiled and thanked everyone for coming.

By the time he got to taste his piece of cake, Emma was almost finished with hers. All around them, others were finishing up, heading out with a wave to the "birthday" boy. Soon, it was just her family and a few stragglers left, the diner quieter than it had been all day. She got Granny to give them a couple of beers, he sipped from his slowly as the quiet settled around them.

"Thank you, Emma," he said, probably for the fifteenth time, if she was keeping track. "This was really kind of you to do for me."

She narrowed her eyes at him as she set the bottle back on the counter, studying him.

"Okay, spit it out. What's wrong, Killian?" she said finally, her voice pitched low so no one would hear.

"Wrong? Emma, this was wonderful, I rea-"

She cut him off with a quick shake of her head.

"Superpower, remember?" She put her hand on his arm gently. "Just tell me what you're thinking. Please."

He nodded, and she didn't miss the way his throat bobbed as he swallowed quickly. "I love what you've done for me, Swan. Really."

She waited. "But?"

"But nothing," he said. "I've never really… not since I was little, no one's ever celebrated for me, except Liam whenever he could steal some extra food. And with all that you've put into this," he waved vaguely at the still-decorated room, "I don't even know when my real birthday is. Who doesn't know their own birthday?"

She squeezed his arm tightly. "I don't know mine either, you know."

He looked up at her sharply, confusion in his eyes. "What? But I was there when you celebrated it last, how could you not know?"

"It was a date assigned to me by the foster system," she said with a shrug. "I was found by the side of the road, Killian. As well-intentioned as I understand my parents were, they didn't exactly include a list of vital statistics along with my blanket. And they were sent away with the curse just moments later, they have no clue either. So I keep the date the state officials gave me, the date I was found."

He looked away, glancing around the room silently at the leftover party remnants in the room. Slowly, his gaze wandered back to her, and this time his eyes were clear when he smiled.

"Well, then this will be a fine birthday for me from now on," he said quietly. "The date I came back to you."

She grinned, leaned over and pecked a quick kiss on his cheek. "Happy birthday, Killian."

He lifted his beer, and she clinked hers against it. "Here's to many more, love. To many more together."


End file.
